2010 BMW 7-Series Spy Video

Insideline caught a test mule of the 2010 BMW 7-Series testing in Death Valley. Under the hood? A twin-turbocharged V8 making around 400hp. The mule is covered in plastic bodywork so you really can't see what the final design is going to look like but it is rumored to take styling cues from the CS Concept.
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Peyton18Peyton18 - 9/4/2007 10:43:58 PM
+1 Boost
I love this website.


BMWMBMWM - 9/4/2007 11:30:05 PM
+1 Boost
LOL, i posted this in response to your apprehension over a possible 2011 release for the new model in the other article about bmw's release plans, 2009 sounds a bout right i guess.


Matthew1Matthew1 - 9/5/2007 1:02:06 AM
0 Boost
Because I guess your beloved Japanese brands don't utilise turbo-charging.

Imagine a world where the Mitsubishi Evo, Subaru STi, Toyota Supra, Nissan GT-R and Mazda 6MPS were turbo-charged.

What a sad world that would be.

12 year old boy (aka nicad),

Turbo-charging is an efficient way of making an engine more powerful without increasing displacement.

Increased displacement= more weight, compromised handling, higher emissions, higher tax, more fuel consumption.

And a large luxury saloon would not benefit from a high-revving engine eg. BMW M5, to create more power (rpm=horsepower) because it doesn't suit the nature or character of the car, and doesn't provide the torque a relatively heavy saloon needs to get off the line.

A turbo-charged engine produces peak torque (or close to it) low down in the rev range, aiding with acceleration, overtaking and fuel economy.

Not to mention a more relaxed driving environment.



Matthew1Matthew1 - 9/5/2007 1:30:14 AM
+1 Boost
So I call you a little boy and you respond by calling me a little boy?

Can't think up any insults on your own?

Seeing as you obviously know more about engineering than the powertrain engineers at BMW, tell everyone here what BMW SHOULD have done to increase the power of their flagship sedan while keeping down weight, improving fuel economy and reducing emissions?


Matthew1Matthew1 - 9/5/2007 1:33:34 AM
0 Boost
"if you don't understand the difference between an SUV, full size sedan and a car like Supra, EVO, STi"

What is your point? Are you saying only sports cars are allowed turbos?

Or that the EVO et al. has some special reason for utilising a turbo-charger that other cars don't?

Why don't you elaborate on your shallow defense.


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 9/5/2007 10:16:33 AM
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If you really want a performance edge get a supercharger. I don't trust turbos because they operate constantly at high temperatures and I have no guarantee that the auto industry uses the same expensive high-temperatue alloys in their turbos that the aerospace industry would use although rumor has it that Porsche uses superior alloys in its turbos.


Will_Will_ - 9/5/2007 10:34:37 AM
-1 Boost
There was even a 3-Series test in which one of the turbos caused the engine to overheat and the car failed. There was even an S-Class test where the same thing happened.

BMW would be nothing without turbocharing. The 335i is a 330i with a couple more turbos just for the sake of keeping up with Infiniti and Lexus.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 9/5/2007 12:31:50 PM
+2 Boost
Will, how do those sour grapes taste? Can I offer you some cheese with your whine?

Ironically the 330i that you are basically dismissing in your post was victorious over the Infiniti and Lexus in every comparison test they took part in. The new 335i is the same car, same chassis dynamics that won all those comparisons, just much faster. It shouldn't be a surprise then that several magazines have dubbed it "the greatest sports sedan ever made".


RupertRupert - 9/5/2007 1:06:48 PM
+2 Boost
BMW explained very well why they used turbos in a top gear interview.

1) Less weight than V8
2) Less torque than V8, thus drivetrain components do not have to be reinforced, which would add weight
3) Better fuel economy
4) Lower emissions
5) Torque available from low down rev range.

And do you guys really think BMW just strapped some turbos to a 330 engine to see what would happen? It's difficult to get working turbos, boring to make it bigger out an engine is far easier.


Matthew1Matthew1 - 9/5/2007 5:19:41 PM
+1 Boost
Enn,

I think your too old to appreciate how far turbo-chargers have come in the last 30 years, ie you haven't driven a new one.

They were solid enough as they were on the original SAAB 900 Turbo, those engines running easily past 200,000km.

Now, millions of Turbo-chargers are produced annually and mated to sophisticated diesel engines to improve responsiveness and over-taking grunt.

Super-chargers don't off the tunability and power advantages of a turbo-charger, and they also whine, masking the true sound of the engine.

If anything, the fact that super chargers are not substantially utilised on new cars means that turbo-charger systems have had considerably more development and R&D moneys thrown at them, so reliability is a non-issue.

There is also efficiency to deal with. A super-charger actually saps power from the engine to generate more, whereas a turbo creates energy from expelled exhaust gases (nothing is wasted).

I just don't think you've driven either to justify your claims.

Lose the rhetoric.




BenzW124BenzW124 - 9/5/2007 9:51:43 AM
+1 Boost
Matt is smart, a rela car ehtusaist


EnnNorakEnnNorak - 9/5/2007 10:25:06 AM
0 Boost
But Matt failed to address the issue of turbo lag. BMW is supposed to be a performance luxury sedan and not something that floats like a boat (a slow boat at that). BMW finds turbos to be a cheap solution to increasing performance by adding them to existing engines. I want reliability above all and a large normally aspirated engine will give me that. If performance is my main goal then I have to have a supercharger instead of a turbo. BTW, VW solved the problem of turbo lag by creating a Twincharger which combines turbo and supercharger in the engine design.


JRobUSCJRobUSC - 9/5/2007 12:34:17 PM
+2 Boost
there is no turbo lag with the 335i. That was the point of the design, and every test has said there's no lag. Max torque from 1200RPM to redline. Go drive one.


jt716jt716 - 9/5/2007 3:18:09 PM
-1 Boost
Im getting sick of all these BMWS which all look the same



ICONICON - 9/5/2007 4:32:06 PM
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WTF are you talking about? Just because they have a brand identity (kidney grill, hoffmeister, etc) you think they all look alike.

Get real or a pair of glasses...they look visually seperate to most people. Bangle made a clear statement that he wanted to get away from the same sausage different size that dominated BMW design when he started.

Unlike Toyota/Lexus which is definitely a case of same sushi roll just different sizes.


chris760chris760 - 9/6/2007 8:48:43 PM
+1 Boost
BMW 335's DONT HAVE ANY TURBO LAG!! JUST DRIVE A FRICKING ONE


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